


The Platinum Rule

by starboyksy00



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Don't expect too much, HIMYM AU, M/M, barney!junhui, i'll add tags as i go, im so sorry, italics are written on first pov, its 96 line centric, non-linear, slow ass updates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-02-16 16:43:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13058025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starboyksy00/pseuds/starboyksy00
Summary: The Golden Rule, according to Wen Junhui is "love thy neighbor," which meant that his Platinum Rule is "never ever, ever, ever love thy neighbor."





	1. it was a huge mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh my God! I have a tattoo,” I said as I walked out of our dorm bathroom while raising my shirt showing them a tattoo of lotus flower and a name. _Seungkwan_. _Who the hell is Seungkwan?_ I mean the lotus flower is not bad but who the hell is _Seungkwan_?
> 
> “Oh, that’s not a tattoo,” Junhui says as he walks holding a bottle of water, walking out of the kitchen sitting next to Wonwoo and Jihoon who actually paused their overwatch battle just to laugh at my misery.
> 
> “That my dear boy is a tramp stamp,” he continues as he took a sip of water before looking at me in the eye and smirking a little bit.

 

“ _Oh my God! I have a tattoo._ ”

Now, back in the autumn of ‘17 when they were nearing the end of the first semester of their second year in university. After handing in piles of homework, projects, and papers, the guys decided to “ _suit up_ ” as Junhui calls, go to their regular bar and drink the night.

““Oh my God! I have a tattoo,” Soonyoung said as he walked out of their dorm bathroom while raising his shirt showing them a tattoo of lotus flower and a name. _Seungkwan_. _Who the hell is Seungkwan?_ I mean the lotus flower is not bad but who the hell is _Seungkwan_?

“Oh, that’s not a tattoo,” Junhui says as he walks holding a bottle of water, walking out of the kitchen sitting next to Wonwoo and Jihoon who actually paused their overwatch battle just to laugh at  his misery.

“That my dear boy is a tramp stamp,” he continues as he took a sip of water before looking at Soonyoung in the eye and smirking a little bit.

“ _A tramp stamp?_ ”

_Kids, too often in life we make decisions we're not prepared to live with, this is a story about those decisions and the consequences that followed._

Fastforward a little bit to their third year in uni, Jihoon was still sleep deprived more than ever, Wonwoo’s still drowning with his books and Junhui is still, Junhui. Not much has changed, Soonyoung was actually on his third year in architecture, nothing big, just a lot of plates, coffee and not enough sleep. You’d think that by now, Soonyoung finally his shit together, but he actually still hasn't.

_Your Uncle Jihoon on his third year, just got crankier than ever, the conservatory of music turned out to be much more demanding than Jihoon expected it would be. Not that he was expecting any less its just that, it's more hectic that what he expected that he never really has enough time to see our faces anymore, it's just him and his computer._

_Nonu swears that most of the time your Uncle Jihoon is making his projects, but there was this one time he accidentally walked into our shared flat at a time he wasn't supposed to be home and saw Ji fapping to your greaseball of an uncle, Junhui._ I say give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe it was actually my face, maybe it was Junhui’s, we never knew or cleared that up ( _well not until a few years later, but that's a story for another day_ ).

Wonwoo on the other hand has gotten more poetic. His poems evolved from beautiful sonnets filled with metaphors of the stars and the sky to something like this:

_Violets are blue,_  
_Roses are red,_  
_We’re doing this backwards_  
_That’s what she said!_

_With that, I tell you, your Uncle Junhui, couldn't get any prouder._

It was a Friday and Soonyoung just finished contacting a few people to check if whether they can remove the ugly ass tattoo on my lower back. Junhui says he shouldn't, but I'm pretty sure his dignity says he should.

Walking into the room where Junhui was slouching at the sofa eating chips, Wonwoo reading a thick hardbound book with his spectacles resting at the bridge of his nose with Jihoon napping right next to them.

  
“Say goodbye kids,” Soonyoung said as he walked in while raising the back of his buttoned down polo showing off the tramp stamp. Definitely, feeling the smugness coursing through him at the possibility of getting it finally off.

“Cause it won't be around much longer,” he added. _Ofcourse, your Uncle Jihoon wouldn't miss an opportunity to shade your old man_.  _That snarky brat._

“But Soonyoung if you get rid of the lotus flower how is everybody gonna know you’re an exotic asian stripper from Korea with daddy issues,” he said while shrugging acting innocent. It was as if he was stating a fact. _Me, a stripper, ha ha ha— I mean its not that I haven't danced in a strip club, near a strip pole and got tips snapped on me—that wouldn't happen... I swear your Uncle Junhui dared me for 500 bucks, but yeah ha ha ha stripper._

_Anyway kids, at that time your Uncle Jihoon and Uncle Junhui had a thing, which meant, your Uncle Junhui and I had issues, because you as you kids know, your Uncle Ji and I dated back in the summer of ‘15. With that being said, your Uncle Junhui, would do anything to get on your Uncle Jihoon’s pants and on my last nerve. He would ofcourse, without a doubt, nod along and support Jihoon's antics._

“Yes yes, thank you Jihoon. Enjoy these last few moments of mockery, because in just ten—suprisingly expensive—seconds, Seokmin, my doctor, is gonna pick the petals out of the face of my lower back.”

“Seokmin?” Wonwoo says as he looked up from the book he has clutched in his hands, raising his eyebrows in inquiry clearly seeming interested at a mention of an unfamiliar name. _He looked at your Uncle Junhui and shared a knowing look with him._

“Doctor Seokmin Lee, the best in business,” Soonyoung explained with ardor, exaggerated hand gestures and everything, “and he’s rather cute, in fact, we’re going to a movie together tonight,” slightly clapping as he finished informing them of his date tonight.

“What?” Junhui said as he shot up from his seat looking at Soonyoung like it was as if he had made the biggest mistake ever. _Psh. I’m cool, we’re all cool._

“I asked him out.”

“What is the matter with you?” he said as the whole gang then agreed with him, added with a couple of face palms and reactions in chorus about how _it’s a mistake, why-would-you-do-that’s and blah blah blahs_ in disagreement.

“What is the matter with you?” Junhui grabs his shoulders and shakes Soonyoung back and forth. Wonwoo making sounds of complete disappointment at my life choices.

“What? What do you mean?” he said as he somehow managed to shake Junhui’s grip off and set him straight.

“Duuuuuude,” Junhui sighs in defeat.

Junhui pauses. “What?”

“Don’t poop where you eat,” Junhui’s face sours and twists by just imagining the scenario. “Oh. No, this doesn't count.”

“If its someone you see on a regular basis and you can’t avoid them—“ Nonu starts.

Soonyoung ignores him. “—In this case, you’re paying them, then yes, it counts," Jihoon finishes.

“Soonie, you’ve heard of the golden rule right? Love thy neighbor.”

_Your Uncle Junhui was back at it again with his dumb catchy rules that always didn't make sense but sometimes it did. It was this one time that you’re Uncle Junhui was right and I didn't believe him._

“Actually, its do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you and it’s from the bible,” Wonwoo butted in.

“Damn it Soonie, I worked out this whole thing where the golden rule is love thy neighbor so just—okay,” he says stomping throwing a mini fit. Junhui was a big baby.

“Now, the golden rule is love thy neighbor, but there’s one rule above it—” he grins as he said it with matching hand gestures like he was raising up a royal banner “—the Platinum Rule.”

“Never-ever-ever-ever-ever love thy neighbor,” he elaborates as he pockets his phone and checks whatever it was that ping-ed.

“Well, that’s cute, but he's not my neighbor, he's my doctor so if you’ll excuse me,” he chuckled dryly before going back to face the mirror and fix his hair. _Looking fly Kwon Soonyoung. Finger guns._

“Soonie, I hate to admit it but Junhui actually has a point,” Jihoon quipped.

“Remember what happened with Mingyu from Basic Cal?” Wonwoo stood up and walked towards me, before blocking my view of the mirror and gesturing wildly like I’m supposed to remember the guy.

“Yeah, remember what happened to us and the couple from across the hall?” Jihoon added as plumped and puffed the pillow he was holding.

“Need I remind you about the thing between me and Minghao, the bartender.” Junhui told him apprehensively as he and Wonwoo crowded me while Soonyoung was fixing his hair.

“Yeah, I don’t have time for this, I am out the door as soon as I am done with my hair.”

“Good the we have a solid half hour,” Jihoon interjects. _The little shit._

_Everybody in the room (except me ofcourse) literally guffawing at the snide remark your uncle Jihoon made, your Uncle Junhui tried to contain his laughter and get back to the issue._

“And in that time, we will convince you not to set foot out that door, it’s a story older than time, my friend.”

“And it always plays out in the same 8 steps—” he says as he took a seat at the arm chair of the sofa bed before facing me, “— _Step 1, attraction_ ”

 

* * *

 

  
1\. _Attraction_

_2014_

On that day, the whole gang sat in their usual bar at our usual booth talking about something I can’t really seem to remember. Your Uncle Junhui and I were having our drinks served but since the waitress who usually served our drinks broke her legs from the boogie boarding incident a couple of weeks earlier, the bartender Minghao, served our drinks this time.

“Hey Junhui” Minghao the bartender said as he put down Wonwoo’s drink, serving him first before Junnie’s. He sat next to your Uncle Junhui at that time. Leaning slightly in the table

“Hey” Your Uncle Junhui said as he locked eyes with Minghao the bartender’s stare.

“Here’s your gin and tonic.”

_As they locked gazes with Minghao leaning in to your Uncle Junhui as he was serving Jihoon’s tea, palpable attraction can be noted. The gears in your Uncle Junhui's rusty mind were turning._

_2015_

We we’re exiting the apartment when, we met our new neighbors. The old lady who was living there before was moved into a home for the aged by his sons so the apartment adjacent was vacant for a few months up until later.

“Oh hi you must be our new neighbors? I’m Seungcheol—“ he grinned and held his husband’s waist, “—and I’m Jeonghan.”

What are the odds another gay couple would live across them, it was surprising definitely, it was somehow something like fate.

“Hi welcome to the building!” Soonyoung greeted warmly as per usual.

“Do you guys know any good brunch places around here?” Jeonghan asked as he smiled charmingly at us.

“We love brunch” Jihoon said eyes widening.

_2016_

Wonwoo on the other hand, as he was the student assistant of the calculus teacher, he was staying up after class to collect the papers.

“You must be Wonwoo,” the tall, lanky but excruciatingly handsome young man told Wonwoo as he handed over the rest of the papers.

“Yeah,” Wonwoo smirked, ofcourse.

“Mingyu Kim, I’m gonna be one of the new student assistants here,” he said as he raised up a hand to shake, smiling that showed his perfect canines.  _He looks absolutely adorable._

“Oh welcome,” Wonwoo says, and flinches at how curt he sounded. “You seem familiar, do you know anything about literature?”

“ _Kite runner_ ”

_Wonwoo knew he was a goner._

_2017_

“It was undeniable, how could anyone barely resist this attraction, but you know better, you’ve seen your friends make the same mistakes as before, you’ve laughed smugly at them, idiots” Junhui said with conviction as he slammed his hands on the table.

“But still, you think, this is different, the platinum rule doesn't apply to me and that’s _step 2, bargaining,”_

 

* * *

 

2\. _Bargaining_

_2016_

“I think I’ve got a little crush on the student assistant,” Wonwoo said dreamily as he thought about Mingyu. Kids, on the other hand, your Uncle Junhui, Jihoon and I would beg to disagree. Several no’s and you’re making a mistake’s were heard but all of them we’re shrugged off.

“I know but he wrote the kite runner and I am a literature major, I can’t help it, if he was declaring his love for me in sonnets, I’d probably would've already hit that.”

“ _Nonu, it's a mistake. Remember what happened to Soonie and I to Cheol and Hannie?_ ” Jihoon said.

_2015_

“Seungcheol and Jeonghan are awesome, we’re gonna invite them over for dinner,” Soonyoung said as he looked at Jihoon before smiling. It was the day where Jihoon started wearing his favorite reindeer sweaters and _he looks absolutely adorable in those, sweater paws and all._

The guys definitely does not agree with us branching out and making new friends. There were, as expected, no’s of disagreement that rung in the air in complete protest to what I just said.

“Guys, this is New York City. You don't get close to the neighbors—” Wonwoo reiterates. He flails his long arms in the air to try and prove a point, it didn't. “—You bow at them politely at the hall and you call the cops if you smell something funny and that is it.”

“We’re not gonna date them, we’re just gonna be friends with them.”

“That’s the couples version of dating—“ says Junhui as he gave your Uncle Jihoon and I a knowing look, “—And you’ve got the couples version of the hots for them.”

“Oh yeah you wanna eat brunch with them, you wanna look up ‘good for 4 people dorms’ with them and you wanna go partying with them on a Tuesday night, don’t you?” he pushed as he tipped his drink in our direction.

“Oh yeah you wanna party the crap out of them,” Wonwoo said innuendo filled. Smirking and joining the pig party Junhui was throwing.

“ _Need I remind you about what happened to me and Minghao, the bartender._ ”

_2014_

“I’ve decided to seduce Minghao, the bartender” Junhui said as he eyed Minghao flipping and making some drinks. Again for the nth time, it was answered with everybody's protest and disagreement to how much of a stupid idea seducing Minghao our favorite bar’s bartender would be.

“What rule says I can't seduce a bartender at my favorite bar,” your Uncle Junhui said before he glanced back again at Minghao and catching his eye before winking. _Gross_.

“I don’t know, I expected you to have one already,” Wonwoo replies dramatically, then exhaling loudly.

“Yeah, with some sort of catchy name,” Jihoon adds.

“Well, I don’t—” Junhui shrugs, and stands up before saying “—I don’t have one and I never will because it’s a great idea. Come on guys, he's gullible and I’m bored, we’re practically perfect for each other.”

_Please_.

“Junhui, we love this bar. If you screw up with Minghao, the bartender, you're going to kill the bar.” I lectured, clearly enunciating every word as I attempt to knock some sense into him.

“ _Bar killer_ ,” Jihoon called Junhui off, glancing at him and glaring before taking a sip of his drink.

“Don't kill the bar, dude” Wonwoo said as he stared of in space in emptiness. Heart already breaking at the thought of the bar getting killed off.

“ _Yeah well, I think it’ll be okay_ ,” Junhui said as he took a sip of the drink he was nursing.

_2015_

“And it was a huge mistake,” Junhui told Jihoon and me with conviction.

“ _Yeah well, I think it’ll be okay,_ ” Jihoon said as he raised his hand and waved it dismissively.

_2016_

“And it was a huge mistake,” Jihoon told Wonwoo while eating a fry. (Soonyoung nodding his head in aggreement violently in the background.)

“ _Yeah well, I think it’ll be okay_ ,” Wonwoo said as he nodded off and shrugged dismissively.

_2017_

“And it was a huge mistake,” Wonwoo said as he clapped his hands in conclusion.

“Yeah well, I think it’ll be okay,” Soonyoung replied dismissively, before going back to fixing his hair.

 

_Present day_

  
_Kids, it was a huge mistake_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The one on italics are Soonyoung's thoughts or what he tells his kids in the present. Ugh. I tried. I have been binge watching himym and I love the 96 line so much I just can’t help it. Direct quotes, dialogues and references are from a himym episode of the same title. Actually, the whole plot line and dialogues is actually based off from himym or directly taken off from himym, I take no credit for it. Only for this chapter, though. This is also very self indulgent, I’m so sorry if it doesn't fit your taste.


	2. but, it wasn’t

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentines! This wasn't proofread so I could post it on valentines lol. Pls point out any mistakes or inaccuracies you see. Thank you so much for reading.

_2017_

“Soonyoung, trust me, you don’t wanna do this,” Junhui says apprehensively. Flailing his arms everywhere in an attempt to emphasize his point. _Kids, at that moment, I really felt that your Uncle Junhui is wrong but whatever happens in the next few hours would prove me wrong._

Soonyoung faced the mirror properly and fixed his hair.

“Look, Seokmin and I are both adults. We’re both smart and mature people capable of making good decisions.”

Wonwoo then sighs exaggeratedly after hearing the poor excuse Soonyoung just made.

“You have a lotus flower tramp stamp,” he then says gesturing to the tattoo to prove a point.

“We’re just seeing a movie, if its seems weird… i’ll run off,” Soonyoung says before fixing the collar of my polo finally deciding he looked perfect for the appointment. That is before your Uncle Junhui steps in and starts his over exaggerated hand flailing.

“Thats what everyone thinks, and on comes _step 3, submission_.”

 

* * *

 

_3. submission_

_2014_  

“Hey Junhui, I kinda need help closing up, would you mind giving me a hand,” says Minghao the bartender leaning in and smiling quite racy to Junhui. Possibly in an attempt to flirt with him.

“Not at all.”

Minghao smiles, eyes smizing and teeth biting his lower lip before leaning in for the second time to suck face with Junhui. _What a story._

_2015_

“The movers lost all our kitchen boxes, we don't have a single frying pan,” Seungcheol sadly informs Jihoon and me. It was quite unfortunate how all their stuff got lost, but then it opened a new opportunity for us to all meet. It was as if faith has brought all of us together. 

"We’re probably gonna order some take out,” Jeonghan then proceeds to show them a flyer of a restaurant nearby that offers to deliver.

_That was it. The sign._

“Wanna have dinner with us tonight?”

_2016_

“Wonwoo, I have two front row tickets to the Don Quijote, wanna go?”

Wonwoo smiled, his nose crinkled. Without a doubt, Wonwoo agreed.

 

* * *

 

_Present day_

_And kids, it was a mirage of bad decision._

Junhui most definitely did Minghao, the bartender that night in 2014. He did not just do Minghao, he did it a lot of times; on the bar counter, on top of our favorite booth, on the supply closet… they did it everywhere like rabbits, but calling barney a rabbit would be the understatement of the century, he was more like a dog in heat, fed a shit ton aphrodisiac and is overdosing in viagra.

Poor Minghao the bartender couldn't walk the day after, while Junhui just sat there smugly. _It gave me chills._

Wonwoo and Mingyu on the other hand were having such an exquisite boring ass time watching Don Quijote.

They laughed at the satirical jokes I never would've understood, not in a million years and most importantly they were bonding, it was such a sight to see. Especially when Wonwoo acts all prudish and timid when he's with a person he likes. He gets all shy, but in contrast to the reality that he is anything but prudish and timid.

Well, atleast before the date has ended and he got a steamy make out session with a hot guy on a somehow romantic place, after the play ended.

 _While your Uncle Jihoon and I, have been bonding with Seungcheol and Jeonghan, the neighbors. We were all in the kitchen cooking brunch_ ~~_Jihoon was sitting on the aisle and you know, I can't cook to save our lives so it was more like watching Seungcheol and Jeonghan do wonders in our kitchen_~~   _and played charades after._

* * *

 

_2014_

“Ah, it finally happened, all this time, every drink I served you. I’ve always felt there was this unspoken connection between us and I was right,” Minghao said dreamily as he leaned forward the bar aisle and fixed his shirt. He smiled sweetly at Junhui as he pushed his hair back.

“Hey, can I get a gin and tonic?” Junhui said as he slung over his coat, buttoned up and fixed his tie. Walking away off to sit on the booth being the absolute asshole your young Uncle Junhui was.

_2017_

“ _A-huh._. I bet you didn't pay for that gin and tonic.”

“Oh, I paid for it,” Junhui said with hands in his pocket, head slightly tilting upwards acting all mysterious. _Jihoon never should've bet on it in the first place._

“But you gotta admit there has got to be an upside to breaking _'the platinum rule'_. Like maybe as his boyfriend I can get a discount to check ups or treatments,” I debated. Mildly convinced that things would work out with Seokmin. I was slowly faltering but the idea of dating him is too good to pass up. ~~_He's too hot to pass up._~~

“Soonie, ofcourse there's an upside—” Wonwoo said as he caressed my back in a consoling fashion, _“—at first.”_

 

“ _That’s step 4, Perks._ ”

 

* * *

 

_4. Perks _

_2016_

“We can split the cab on the way to school—“ Wonwoo said as he tried to enummerate pointless pros of dating this Kim Mingyu.

“ _—Wonwoo, you live in a dorm with us,_ ” Jihoon interrupted.

 

Apparently, when Nonu gets his head into something we couldn't do something to stop it no matter how unbeneficial it is to him.

 

“We can always have a lunch date, our schedules match,” he continues. None of us could get through his sheer will power to date this Mingyu guy.

 

“And last night he went to fetch me and bought me the whole Harry Potter series hardbound,” he quipped like a fangirl to the new addition in his pro list.

 _“You don't understand guys, it’s the whole series and it's hardbound._ ”

“Yeah I can't understand your boner for books,” Junhui states bluntly clearly unimpressed.

“Damn it you guys, be happy for me. Yes, we see each other everyday, but I think it's going really well.”

“Yeah, that's what we thought.”

_2015_

“It's so convenient, they live _right across the hall_ ,” Soonyoung said.

“Say it's Sunday and we wanna each brunch with people who actually enjoy brunch unlike you guys—“ He says with a whole smile with teeth, crinkly eyes and all, but accusatory on the latter part.

“ _We just go right across the hall._ ” Jihoon answers with a hint of smile while looking at me. Mildly amused by my antics.

“Say we wanna dine in elegance but also with thriftiness,” Soonyoung added as he gestured the table with elegance to try and mimic fine dining waiters.

“ _We just go right across the hall._ ” Jihoon answers again.

“Say we want to play a game of charades,” Soonyoung says, standing up just as if he had a eureka moment.

Jihoon sighs tiredly. At this point he was, clearly tired of coping up with my energy.

“Jihoon just do it like we've practiced," he pushes. Jihoon stands up forcibly ~~_he's clearly soft for me_~~  and starts acting out opening a door and walking across the hall cutely. _That bub._

“ _You just go right across the hall?_ " Junhui answers.

“Come on people get excited for us, we have a great thing going on here.”

_“That's what I thought.”_

2014

Minghao arrives to the table with free nachos and kisses Junhui sweetly and lingering, his eyes sparkled when he looked at Junhui. It would've been very endearing for Soonyoung if it wasn't Junhui that Minghao was inlove to, Junhui, the bastard doesn't even know the word commitment. Now, he just feels sad for poor Minghao the bartender.

“Hi sweetie! Here are some nachos, no charge—“ he said shyly, “okay, bye. I mean not bye I’m not leaving,” he supplied hands leaning towards the backrest of Junhui’s seat.

“I’ll be over there—“ he adds before pointing to the bar maintaining eye contact with Junhui “—in the bar, okay bye.”

Poor Minghao the bartender.

“Come on, guys. Free nachos!” _he says before digging in being the unfeeling insensitive bastard that he is that makes us all want to skin him alive. Your Uncle Jihoon, Nonu and I just could not believe your Uncle Junhui. He’s such a pig sometimes—yet again another understatement._

“What?”

“We like this bar,” Soonyoung quipped.

“ _Don't kill the bar, dude_.” Wonwoo says.

“We love this bar.” Soonyoung says again for further emphasis.

“ _Don't kill the bar, dude_.” Wonwoo says, staring off blankly.

“This bar is like home to us.” _Again._

“ _Don't kill the bar, dude_.” Wonwoo says.

“You’re killing the bar,” Jihoon says disapproving.

“I am not killing the bar,” he says before shoving another nacho into his mouth, little crumbs flying in mid air.

“Minghao the bartender has seen how I operate in this place, it is perfectly clear to everyone involved that this is nothing more than a temporary fling.”

Junhui makes eye contact with Minghao the bartender and the latter smiles to him dazzlingly plus waves shyly.

“ _It’s fine.”_

_2015_

“But it wasn't.”

“ _It’s fine,”_   Soonyoung said while Jihoon silently agreed.

_2016_

“But it wasn't.”

 _“It’s fine,”_ Mingyu said.

_2017_

“But it wasn't.”

 _“It's fine,”_   Soonyoung said again, _stupidity at it's finest._

 

* * *

 

 

_Present day_

_Kids, it definitely wasn't._


	3. Oh no

“ _Which brings us to step five: the tipping point!_ ” Junhui says as he raises his hand like he is the next great philosopher after Plato, Aristotle and Socrates

  

* * *

 

 

_5. The Tipping Point_

_2016_

 

“So that is how you integrate integrals easily. Also never forget to add the C, okay? Class dismissed.” Mingyu says as he starts packing up his things getting ready to dismiss the tutorial session. The students nod in agreement to Mingyu.

“Lots of kids forget that and it just breaks my heart to see points wasted,” Wonwoo quipped flirtatiously before he started to walk next to Mingyu.

“Hi!” he smiled.

“Oh so you decide to talk to me now?” Mingyu says acting all sulky.

“What are you talking about?” Wonwoo asks.

“I’m talking about last night. You said you’d call but you didn’t. I missed you and I waited up, but you didn’t call. _That really hurt_.”

Mingyu slumped on his chair, feeling resigned. Wonwoo on the other hand felt shocked. He never expected that the younger would be this clingy ~~and to be honest it’s scaring him a little.~~

“Oh umm… I’m sorry. I guess I just forgot.”

Mingyu then stands up and starts clinging to his hyung. He interlocks their fingers and smiled puppy-like.

“I’m sorry sweetie. I don’t wanna fight tonight. It’s our first weekie-versary!” Mingyu says as he looked at the older like his entire world revolved around him.

He then hugs Wonwoo and actually at that specific moment he did scare Wonwoo --- a lot.

_Oh no._

 

_2014_

 

“Hey Hao, could you do me a favor and send a drink over to that pretty young thing over there.”

“What?” Minghao the bartender does a second look and Junhui looking shellshocked.

At this point Jihoon was out of words and reasoning for whatever stupidity Junhui does, he’s just so done with it. Wonwoo just blinked hard and thought about why he was even friends with Junhui in the first place.

“ _Over theeereeeee_ ,” Junhui then points at Minghao and smiles. Honestly, Jihoon just wants to end Junhui at that exact moment, so it’s all over and done with.

“You, you’re the pretty young thing—,” he says and smiles nervously. Wonwoo face palms, of all the excuses Junhui could possibly think of, this is what he gets. Jesus Christ. “—is what I meant,” he faces Jihoon and Wonwoo.

“Drink. Would you? On me,” he says stuttering.

“Oh. Okay. Thanks, sweetie.” Minghao says as he climbs over the seat a little bit and leans in to kiss Junhui on the cheek sweetly.

“Okay. Alright,” Junhui says as he laughs nervously.

_Oh no._

 

_2015_

 

“Hey neighbors!”

“We bought all the goodies for our netflix and chill date night!” Jeonghan says as he hands over a brown bag filled with goodies. Soonyoung and Jihoon make eye contact. Already convinced that this is not gonna go well.

“Oh the two of us are going out for a movie for tonight—” Soonyoung starts before he was abruptly interrupted by Seungcheol.

“Netflix and chill wouldn’t be complete without—“ Seungcheol goes on and on.

“Oh we actually have tickets—“ Jihoon cuts off impatiently.

“Blankets for cuddles—“ Cheol then shows the blankets that they brought over.

“Blankets for cuddles,” Jihoon also says resignedly.

“—for a lazy cuddly night!” Jeonghan adds.

They then proceed on to the living room to start on the netflix as they were forcefully dragged on to cuddle. They were sitting on the sofa all together with Seungcheol cuddling and feeding popcorn Jeonghan happily.

_Oh no._

  

* * *

 

“ _Which brings us to step six—_ “ Junhui says as puts his hands on his waist in a reprimanding manner. Which Soonyoung ignores and he starts to grab his coat hung on the coat hanger.

“Don’t do this, Soonie!” He screams dramatically. As he zips across the room and blocks the door with his whole body.

“Don’t do this, Soonie!” He then flips over and stares intently on Soonyoung’s eyes.

“Junhui could you please give it a rest.” Soonyoung sighs.

To which Soonyoung ignores for the nth time and then proceeds to grab the doorknob trying to push Junhui away.

“Don’t do this, Soonie!” Junhui then decides to dothe stupid thing again like the usual and grab Soonyoung’s hair and tries to mess it up even more.

“DUDE! What the hell?” Soonyoung exclaims. He then goes back in front of the mirror to fix it back. “It was perfect! You’re such an asshole.”

“Which brings us to step six, you finally realize you’ve made such a huge mistake and now you’ll have to endure it,” Junhui then tries to wipe of the hair gel from Soonyoung’s hair into Wonwoo’s shirt. Where Wonwoo then notices and immediately hands him over a napkin, well atleast not before pushing him away disgustedly.

“ _Step six is called, PURG-wait-for-it-keep-waiting-KeepWaitingForAllOfEternityOnlyToDiscoverThatThere’sNoEscape-GATORY.” Junhui says as he smiles knowingly. Like the typical ‘I-told-you-so’ smile._

 

* * *

 

_6. Purgatory_

_2016_

 

“God I am such an idiot,” Wonwoo says as he rests his face on his palm regretting all his life choices. More specifically the thing with regards to Mingyu.

“Yeah,” Jihoon agrees triumphantly. No pity at all.

“A _best selling author_ keeps leaving me love notes.” He says as he shows the stack of post its he has.

“On top of my table. _"_ _He puts down one._

 _"_ On top of my calculator. _"_ And another one.

"Sticked inside a page of my book sitting on top of the table next to my calculator.”  _And another one_.

“The solution to all my problems.” Jihoon reads one of the notes written on the post its.

“What does he even mean with that?” Soonyoung asks as he reads the other notes with Jihoon.

“Look he even doodled a heart next to the word problems on the sticky note he gave you.” Jihoon adds.

“MINGYU! UGH!” Wonwoo then proceeds to bang his head on the table in shame.”

 _“Ooh I remember that!”_ Soonyoung says.

 

_2015_

 

“God we are such idiots,” Jihoon says.

“Yeah,” Junhui agrees triumphantly.

“Every time we step out of the door they’re always there waiting for us.” Jihoon gestures wildly. All the times they try to go out they’re always there.

“Sometimes we send Wonwoo out the door as a scout, nobody’s there.” Soonyoung says as he stares off emptily into nothing.

“We go out a second later and there they are,” Jihoon continues as he slams a fist on their table.

“It’s supernatural,” Soonyoung said as he banged his head on the table. He then stops banging his head on the table all of a sudden and adds, “—are they ghosts, are we the only ones who can see them?”

“Hey neighbor! Hey neighbor!” Jihoon starts annoyingly.

“Ugh!” Jihoon then starts to banging his head to the table.

 _“I remember that!”_ Junhui says.

 

_2014_

 

“How could you guys let me date Minghao the bartender,” Junhui says. All piped out their disagreement to Junhui’s stupidity.

“Don’t kill the bar dude.”

Junhui eyes a cute tall blonde guy who just walked inside and sat at the barstool ordering his drink. They locked eyes and Junhui smiled flirtatiously. Minghao the Bartender then serves the drink to the blondie and then meets eyes with Junhui who then sighs sadly before quipping.

“My own bar, I can’t hit on cute boys, _in. my. own. bar._ ” Junhui slams the table and reiterates every word. They all then look at Minghao the bartender who is smiling cutely at Junhui.

“Remember the old Junhui? He was a lion. King of the jungle, stalking any prey he wanted, going in for the kill.”

“Now look at at me declawed, neutered, what was my once jungle, is now my zoo.” He takes a long sip to his drink before sighing heavily again for the nth time.

“Forced to mate with the same old lioness again—“ he gestures back at Minghao the bartender before waving at him, and Minghao waving back innocently. “—and again and again while families pay to watch.”

“Your metaphor is really falling apart” Soonyoung says before shoving a fry inside his mouth.

“Well put a leash around my neck and pet my head, kids. For I am just a docile house cat now.” He says and meows after sadly. At this point, Jihoon doesn’t even know why he tolerates Junhui. God.

“Well we love this bar, you can dump or marry him if you have to,” Wonwoo says as he pinches the bridge of his nose in stress.

“Minghao-the-bartender-hypen-Wen.” Jihoon adds.

“Don’t kill the bar dude.” Wonwoo says.

Junhui starts banging his head on the table.

 

_2017_

 

“And so inevitably you have to do the thing that you have been dreading all along.” Junhui says as he walks closer to Soonyoung and grabs his shoulders real tight.

“A relationshipectomy is a delicate surgery as it is, but in the case of the platinum rule, it requires a really steady steady hand.” He then spins Soonyoung around so they’re both facing the mirror and starts shouting.

_“And that is step 7, confrontation!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took too long to write I sincerely apologize. Engineering school has been a bitch. I have no excuses lol and I’m also kinda doing this to destress. I am so sorry for the long wait. I also plan on redoing this entire story because it’s written on first pov and its kinda weird, but Ted is talking to his kids narrating so I kinda don’t know how to make it work. So sorry for taking such a long ass time to update.


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